Just finished watching and was pleasantly surprised. I didn't think that Mr Harrington's Phone would be a good enough storyline to be brought to the big-screen but, evidently, it has. The people moaning about it not being scary are way off. The short novella was really good but it was more of a drama like the movie. The movie does differ on some aspects of the source material and I don't know why it did as it worked perfectly fine in the writing. All I'll say is, don't expect horror. You'll not at one single point be scared, but the book never tried to be. It's just down simply as horror as that description goes down well with movie descriptions and Stephen King.
289 Reviews
Weird mishmash of genres
LincolnSixEko8 October 2022
Starts out a a good drama/thriller type movie then continued on for about half of it. Got to know the characters, sets things up pretty well, all is good so far. Then the thriller part ramps up some and it gets more and more exciting. Up until that point I thought it was pretty good.
Then it kinda turns into a coming of age film. Nothing wrong with those types of films but it felt really strange here.
Then it flips back to the drama/thriller.
Then it ends kinda...meh.
The whole movie feels like its trying to shove a message in our face about being attached to our cell phones too. I dunno it just gave me a really bad weird vibe to it.
Then it kinda turns into a coming of age film. Nothing wrong with those types of films but it felt really strange here.
Then it flips back to the drama/thriller.
Then it ends kinda...meh.
The whole movie feels like its trying to shove a message in our face about being attached to our cell phones too. I dunno it just gave me a really bad weird vibe to it.
Psych drama about the beginning of smartphones with a touch of horror
gabriel_sanchez10 October 2022
I found Mr. Harrigan's Phone unique. Modern psychological drama; tech horror, I guess. At first, you are guided through very slow-paced storytelling about Craig and his relationship with Mr. Harrigan. This part of the plot is character development. After a turning point near the last third of the story, the horror sets in.
Although Steven King wrote the original short story, this is not a horror movie, even though the movie tries to keep the horror tone throughout its whole length. This movie is about character development and knowing how to deal with death and hard times.
I find this movie to be a worthy adaptation of the short story. However, the story itself is probably not King's best.
Although Steven King wrote the original short story, this is not a horror movie, even though the movie tries to keep the horror tone throughout its whole length. This movie is about character development and knowing how to deal with death and hard times.
I find this movie to be a worthy adaptation of the short story. However, the story itself is probably not King's best.
a confession
Kirpianuscus7 October 2022
Obvious, it is not a great movie. And many parts of it are far to be inspired. But... .
I saw it for Jaeden Martell and Donald Sutherland . And , maybe, being temptated by the name of Stephen King.
And I love it. For acting, for the house, for the idea of reading books to a venerable rich man, for the portrait of friendship out of death, for a sort of kindness and indulgence for answer to desire of revenge and for crumbs of story remembering pieces of my life.
I do not expected nothing . And being a sentimental guy, I ignored the holes or the incoherence or the confuse message or the pathetism.
First, because Sutherland and Martell are real good.
Second, because it is just a story about ordinary, profound significant things, having the gift/ desire only to remind them and proposing a fair perspective about them.
Not the last, because it is not exactly a horror. More a sort of confession/ reflection/ moral lesson. Working not so bad.
I saw it for Jaeden Martell and Donald Sutherland . And , maybe, being temptated by the name of Stephen King.
And I love it. For acting, for the house, for the idea of reading books to a venerable rich man, for the portrait of friendship out of death, for a sort of kindness and indulgence for answer to desire of revenge and for crumbs of story remembering pieces of my life.
I do not expected nothing . And being a sentimental guy, I ignored the holes or the incoherence or the confuse message or the pathetism.
First, because Sutherland and Martell are real good.
Second, because it is just a story about ordinary, profound significant things, having the gift/ desire only to remind them and proposing a fair perspective about them.
Not the last, because it is not exactly a horror. More a sort of confession/ reflection/ moral lesson. Working not so bad.
A Stephen King story without the horror
atlastu25 October 2022
When I saw the trailer for this film, I was kind of excited since it's based on a story for Stephen King, and the premise was interesting, plus the two main lead actors (Donald Sutherland, Jaeden Martell) are definitely great.
As the story progress, I kept waiting for the cool parts to start happening, but sadly they hardly ever happened, and all we saw is a big indirect advertising campaign for iphone (not that Apple needs it), but seriously the whole movie is based on the iphone.
Another thing that got me confused is how the movie's genre says "horror" but it has no such thing, it's very misleading, it's more of a drama thriller.
I loved the parts when Craig was reading to Harrigan, and how their relationship got stronger, in spite of the vast difference between them.
I guess the main message the film is trying to convey is the effect of modern technology (in this case the smartphone) on our lives, and how it completely disengage us from the real world, and end up controlling us and feeding us lies. And also to be careful what we wish for.
"When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers". Oscar Wilde.
As the story progress, I kept waiting for the cool parts to start happening, but sadly they hardly ever happened, and all we saw is a big indirect advertising campaign for iphone (not that Apple needs it), but seriously the whole movie is based on the iphone.
Another thing that got me confused is how the movie's genre says "horror" but it has no such thing, it's very misleading, it's more of a drama thriller.
I loved the parts when Craig was reading to Harrigan, and how their relationship got stronger, in spite of the vast difference between them.
I guess the main message the film is trying to convey is the effect of modern technology (in this case the smartphone) on our lives, and how it completely disengage us from the real world, and end up controlling us and feeding us lies. And also to be careful what we wish for.
"When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers". Oscar Wilde.
Slow But Suspenseful
JoshuaMercott7 October 2022
It was surprisingly simple what they did with this novella adaptation, and Stephen King's at that. The 'King of Horror' penned an anthology titled "If It Bleeds" (published, 2020), and "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" was one of its offerings.
John Lee Hancock did remarkable work on direction and screenplay for this Netflix production. That old Stephen King magic prevailed, and helped ensure a literary flair was present throughout the story and around its characters.
I could see this movie getting buried (pun intended) by fans and sundry if it was any other script than one from the mind of King. The movie had a relaxed pace, and contained nothing truly horrific. The suspense was strong, though. Also, Donald Sutherland's voice and performance held it all together.
Javier Navarrete's musical scoring wonderfully complemented the work of the editing and sound effects teams. John Schwartzman's cinematography was amazing. Production design by Michael Corenblith, set decoration, and art direction did great work as well. Daniel Orlandi's costume design was minimal.
Donald Sutherland stole every scene he was in, and was the most intriguing character in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone". Aside from Stephen King's involvement, the main reason I saw this movie was because they cast the unmatched Sutherland in the role of the titular character. That man has screen presence for days, and is one of my favourite yesteryear stars. Also, his character's mansion was spellbinding in its own right.
Jaeden Martell's take on Craig was a blend of vulnerability and conviction. He did great work in the role. His younger version, played by Colin O'Brien, was good.
Victoria Hart, played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, was interesting. Cyrus Arnold as Kenny Yankovich was a right royal &^%$, and hit all the right provocative notes. Craig's dad, played by Joe Tippett, was good. The phone store clerk, played by Alex Bartner, was notable. Edna Grogan, played by Peggy J. Scott, was amazing. Hers was a criminally under-rated performance. All others did good work in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" streaming now on Netflix.
Simple takes and steady storytelling dictated the flow of this movie. Powerful dialogues and a literary 'show don't tell' style also helped make it memorable. The sustained mystery of whom Craig was communicating with if not the by-then-deceased Mr. Harrigan and how repercussions came to those who justly deserved it made the movie engaging. In classic Stephen King style, the ending of this movie was left open to interpretation.
John Lee Hancock did remarkable work on direction and screenplay for this Netflix production. That old Stephen King magic prevailed, and helped ensure a literary flair was present throughout the story and around its characters.
I could see this movie getting buried (pun intended) by fans and sundry if it was any other script than one from the mind of King. The movie had a relaxed pace, and contained nothing truly horrific. The suspense was strong, though. Also, Donald Sutherland's voice and performance held it all together.
Javier Navarrete's musical scoring wonderfully complemented the work of the editing and sound effects teams. John Schwartzman's cinematography was amazing. Production design by Michael Corenblith, set decoration, and art direction did great work as well. Daniel Orlandi's costume design was minimal.
Donald Sutherland stole every scene he was in, and was the most intriguing character in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone". Aside from Stephen King's involvement, the main reason I saw this movie was because they cast the unmatched Sutherland in the role of the titular character. That man has screen presence for days, and is one of my favourite yesteryear stars. Also, his character's mansion was spellbinding in its own right.
Jaeden Martell's take on Craig was a blend of vulnerability and conviction. He did great work in the role. His younger version, played by Colin O'Brien, was good.
Victoria Hart, played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste, was interesting. Cyrus Arnold as Kenny Yankovich was a right royal &^%$, and hit all the right provocative notes. Craig's dad, played by Joe Tippett, was good. The phone store clerk, played by Alex Bartner, was notable. Edna Grogan, played by Peggy J. Scott, was amazing. Hers was a criminally under-rated performance. All others did good work in "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" streaming now on Netflix.
Simple takes and steady storytelling dictated the flow of this movie. Powerful dialogues and a literary 'show don't tell' style also helped make it memorable. The sustained mystery of whom Craig was communicating with if not the by-then-deceased Mr. Harrigan and how repercussions came to those who justly deserved it made the movie engaging. In classic Stephen King style, the ending of this movie was left open to interpretation.
A pretty decent drama and a somewhat disappointing horror
GreyHunter6 October 2022
First things first -- like many people, I binge horror in October, generally one movie a day from the 1st through the 30th, then, time allowing, two or three on Halloween itself. This movie was my choice for today (I've seen so many horrors that I have to look off the beaten path for new ones sometimes, and sometimes I just get lazy and re-watch an old favorite) So my disappointment stems largely from the fact that I was hoping for an actual horror to fill my daily horror movie.)
This movie had horror elements. That I'll concede. But it wasn't really, overall, in the horror genre. It was a decent drama, and had it been sold as that, with just traces of horror, I would have waited to watch it in November and would have enjoyed it to some extent. Unfortunately, the story of the young boy and the elderly man who became a mentor (of sorts, since the young man never really seemed to completely buy into the old man's rather brutal outlook on life) was interesting for reasons completely unhorrific and selling this movie as a horror -- as of now, that's the only genre tag on its IMDb page -- is likely to alienate people who might otherwise enjoyed the movie on its own merits.
This movie had horror elements. That I'll concede. But it wasn't really, overall, in the horror genre. It was a decent drama, and had it been sold as that, with just traces of horror, I would have waited to watch it in November and would have enjoyed it to some extent. Unfortunately, the story of the young boy and the elderly man who became a mentor (of sorts, since the young man never really seemed to completely buy into the old man's rather brutal outlook on life) was interesting for reasons completely unhorrific and selling this movie as a horror -- as of now, that's the only genre tag on its IMDb page -- is likely to alienate people who might otherwise enjoyed the movie on its own merits.
It's Not Scary, but great acting and will make you think
kattrambo10 October 2022
Such good acting. It is slow, but you become invested in the characters early enough to stay interested. Donald Sutherland did AMAZING. Every time he was on the screen you wanted to watch him. It's been a while since he was so captivating on screen. It is deep and has an underlying message which may irritate people, but I agree with that message so I related to the movie well. Cell phones/Smart phones aren't always the best use of our time, or the healthiest option for our own minds. They have become addictive and overused in our society to the point that people can no longer think objectively. I don't like that the mom was never really explained.
Anticlimactic
bakaeunji9 October 2022
Good start, but leads to absolutely nothing. No tension build, no satisfying ending. It had potential but that was completely lost on the storyline. The kid is a really good actor, that's about the only positive.
The mystery of the first few scenes could've led somewhere very interesting, however the story seemed to get lost on itself. There was no real reason or explanation as to how or why any of the events were happening.
I'd say give this one a miss, it definitely felt like a big waste of time. It would've been a lot better as a horror or thriller at least. This barely counts as "mystery".
The mystery of the first few scenes could've led somewhere very interesting, however the story seemed to get lost on itself. There was no real reason or explanation as to how or why any of the events were happening.
I'd say give this one a miss, it definitely felt like a big waste of time. It would've been a lot better as a horror or thriller at least. This barely counts as "mystery".
Worth a look for the excellent performances
dlmiley6 October 2022
I watched "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" on Netflix last night. It is based on the short story of the same name by Stephen King. It is about a young man (Jaeden Martell) recruited by a billionaire (Donald Sutherland) to read to the old man since the man's eyesight is failing. Of course, since this is a Stephen King novel, there is a mystery involved with a hint of horror. But the main part of the story is the development of respect and friendship between the old man and the young man. It is very well acted by the two leads and is definitely worth a look. Some horror fans were disappointed by the lack of gore, but to me that is not the point of the story. Check it out for yourself and see if you agree. 7/10.
Not bad, not Great, not really worth the time - spoilers marked at the end of review so it's safe to read
JabezGill5 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This movie had an extremely interesting concept - unfortunately... after establishing the concept they fail to explore it at all. It is well made, acting is good, however the story feels empty and like it goes nowhere. When it finally felt like "okay this is where the real fun starts and where things will go off the rails..." the credits roll and it is over.
The expectation for Stephen King film is that this would turn into a horror film... or at the very least have some suspenseful moments and a climax that resolved the storyline.
However, we get a long build up and very little resolution it reward.
We don't see Mr. Harrigan "take care" of either of his victims. The viewer never feels the danger of anything. It is just a very lethargic film. Not bad, not good either. It just is... is it entertaining? In the sense that it keeps feeling like it is about to get entertaining... but never does
[Spoilers Ahead
A boy reads books to an old man, they become friends in a sense, the old man dies, the kid gets bullied and talks to the old man via his cellphone to vent (although the old man is dead), the bully dies. The kid graduates high school and goes away to college. The teacher that was kind to him in high school gets killed by a drunk driver. The drunk driver gets away with it. The boy talks to the old man on his cellphone. The drunk driver dies. The boy cries. Visits the old man's grave and had a heartfelt one way conversation. Throws the phone into a quarry lake. Credits.
You are just left going "why was this movie made? What was the point of making a full length movie out of a 5 minute concept?"
The expectation for Stephen King film is that this would turn into a horror film... or at the very least have some suspenseful moments and a climax that resolved the storyline.
However, we get a long build up and very little resolution it reward.
We don't see Mr. Harrigan "take care" of either of his victims. The viewer never feels the danger of anything. It is just a very lethargic film. Not bad, not good either. It just is... is it entertaining? In the sense that it keeps feeling like it is about to get entertaining... but never does
[Spoilers Ahead
A boy reads books to an old man, they become friends in a sense, the old man dies, the kid gets bullied and talks to the old man via his cellphone to vent (although the old man is dead), the bully dies. The kid graduates high school and goes away to college. The teacher that was kind to him in high school gets killed by a drunk driver. The drunk driver gets away with it. The boy talks to the old man on his cellphone. The drunk driver dies. The boy cries. Visits the old man's grave and had a heartfelt one way conversation. Throws the phone into a quarry lake. Credits.
You are just left going "why was this movie made? What was the point of making a full length movie out of a 5 minute concept?"
I related so much I waited a day to write this
kcitraro12 October 2022
Ok, so as you can see, I can very much relate to this movie. So much so that I waited to write this review. Some of the criticism I'm seeing was that it wasn't enough of a "Stephen King" that it was more of a coming of age movie. Do these same people know that he wrote "The green mile" also. Not everything he does is a horror flick. I wanted to give this a 10 but took into account how others received this movie since, for me, it hit so close to home.
I found the narrating subperb. It conveyed all the feelings of many of us who were bullied in school, had a teacher who meant the world to us, and had someone who took interest in us.
Mr Harigan was portrayed flawlessly by Sutherland. You can see and understand how he could scare the crap out of a kid! Yet portrayed the ever so slightly softer side so well as to see that he really hadn't softened. He trusted Craig and enjoyed his visits.
I thought I had read every Stephen King book but I missed this one. Watching this movie makes me want to read this short story asap.
As far as technical aspects they were good. Lighting especially good. Sound as well. Wardrobe was exactly timely with the preppy ambercrombie and finch type wear. I know because my son would be approximately same age as Craig when iPhones came out. Directing was great although the actors were very limited in this.
All in all, I enjoyed this movie greatly. Just don't expect gore. It's viewable by entire family which is good. It would make a great movie to see as a family. No gore, just some bizarre things that happen.
Great movie, give it a watch for yourself and see. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
I found the narrating subperb. It conveyed all the feelings of many of us who were bullied in school, had a teacher who meant the world to us, and had someone who took interest in us.
Mr Harigan was portrayed flawlessly by Sutherland. You can see and understand how he could scare the crap out of a kid! Yet portrayed the ever so slightly softer side so well as to see that he really hadn't softened. He trusted Craig and enjoyed his visits.
I thought I had read every Stephen King book but I missed this one. Watching this movie makes me want to read this short story asap.
As far as technical aspects they were good. Lighting especially good. Sound as well. Wardrobe was exactly timely with the preppy ambercrombie and finch type wear. I know because my son would be approximately same age as Craig when iPhones came out. Directing was great although the actors were very limited in this.
All in all, I enjoyed this movie greatly. Just don't expect gore. It's viewable by entire family which is good. It would make a great movie to see as a family. No gore, just some bizarre things that happen.
Great movie, give it a watch for yourself and see. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.
Surprisingly held my attention.
abs-ghosh13 October 2022
Being an ex Stephen King junky I was in the mood for some horror and gave this movie a shot. I have to agree with most of the other reviewers on here in that this is not a horror movie. It has some very mild elements but the focus is more about a boy getting past his grief of losing a valued friend and mentor.
Mr. Harrigan (Sutherland) is a wealthy, retried business leading a reclusive life in a quiet town. Having a fearsome, if somewhat cruel reputation from his venturing days, most people in town give him a clear berth except a young teen named Craig (Martell). After listening to him read at church, Mr. Harrigan hires Craig to read him old literature each week. Thus begins a budding relationship between a man at the end of his life and a kid at the start of his. Eventually the old man passes but not before Craig gifts him with an iphone which was buried with the body. Not completely over the passing of his close friend and mentor, Craig would call the buried phone and leave messages that suddenly started getting answered with deadly results.
This is another movie that wouldn't have been very watchable if it wasn't for strong acting and well written script. The relationship between Mr. Harrigan and Craig is quite charming and his input on the future of digital information is quite depthful. Martel is relative an actor I am not familiar with but does a great job to keep the movie going till the very end after Sutherland is out of the picture. For that I award it a +1 for managing to still be fairly entertaining without really having anything quite compelling. A rare feat from Netflix and a decent effort.
Mr. Harrigan (Sutherland) is a wealthy, retried business leading a reclusive life in a quiet town. Having a fearsome, if somewhat cruel reputation from his venturing days, most people in town give him a clear berth except a young teen named Craig (Martell). After listening to him read at church, Mr. Harrigan hires Craig to read him old literature each week. Thus begins a budding relationship between a man at the end of his life and a kid at the start of his. Eventually the old man passes but not before Craig gifts him with an iphone which was buried with the body. Not completely over the passing of his close friend and mentor, Craig would call the buried phone and leave messages that suddenly started getting answered with deadly results.
This is another movie that wouldn't have been very watchable if it wasn't for strong acting and well written script. The relationship between Mr. Harrigan and Craig is quite charming and his input on the future of digital information is quite depthful. Martel is relative an actor I am not familiar with but does a great job to keep the movie going till the very end after Sutherland is out of the picture. For that I award it a +1 for managing to still be fairly entertaining without really having anything quite compelling. A rare feat from Netflix and a decent effort.
Great promise but fell short
ghouligals19 October 2022
Good acting - Fun story - Rushed ending after a long set up
This is one of those movies that starts out strong with characters and relationships that hold your attention but unfortunately most of the movie was this set up with the second and third act only given 1/3 of the movies screen time. The result was a great idea smooshed together and rushed.
While the flow of the movie is rushed towards the end, the way everything is put together and the suspense that they try to build before rushing through it does make this movie worth a watch. I wouldn't dedicate a movie night to it more something to watch if there's nothing else that's grabbing you.
This is one of those movies that starts out strong with characters and relationships that hold your attention but unfortunately most of the movie was this set up with the second and third act only given 1/3 of the movies screen time. The result was a great idea smooshed together and rushed.
While the flow of the movie is rushed towards the end, the way everything is put together and the suspense that they try to build before rushing through it does make this movie worth a watch. I wouldn't dedicate a movie night to it more something to watch if there's nothing else that's grabbing you.
6.2/10. Watchable
athanasiosze19 November 2022
1) This has nothing to do with horror as others have mentioned here. This is a coming of age teenage drama with some supernatural elements. It's "old-fashioned", i mean it reminds me 90's/early 00's movies. These characters don't seem like 2022 people, they are young but they seem like people of older generation. I am 44 years old, therefore i didn't mind , i like it.
2) Sutherland was amazing as always. The others were very good, too. I think that Jaeden Martell is a promising young actor.
3) It should have been 5-10 minutes shorter. It's not a boring movie, but there are some not-so interesting moments. It's not exciting neither intense. It's a somewhat relaxing/sweet movie, sit back and enjoy the ride. There are some messages, you will empathise with the leading actor, there are some moments that will warm your heart. But definitely, you should lower your expectations, it's not a 10/10, 9/10 movie. A nice journey with a totally forgettable destination.
2) Sutherland was amazing as always. The others were very good, too. I think that Jaeden Martell is a promising young actor.
3) It should have been 5-10 minutes shorter. It's not a boring movie, but there are some not-so interesting moments. It's not exciting neither intense. It's a somewhat relaxing/sweet movie, sit back and enjoy the ride. There are some messages, you will empathise with the leading actor, there are some moments that will warm your heart. But definitely, you should lower your expectations, it's not a 10/10, 9/10 movie. A nice journey with a totally forgettable destination.
NOT A HORROR MOVIE - but a fine movie
perisho7 October 2022
This is not a horror movie despite being written by King. Think more Stand by Me than IT. Quasi-supernatural goings on in a New England town, just like all his stuff. Serviceable entertainment as usual, but not horror and not groundbreaking.
Kings normal tone and "life lessons" in the story. I enjoyed it while maybe giving it 70% of my attention.
All the film making components are competent as you might expect, somewhere right below blockbuster but everyone was in the union. Again, not horror, but just fine for what it is.
I wish these things didn't require 600 characters. Seems too long...
Kings normal tone and "life lessons" in the story. I enjoyed it while maybe giving it 70% of my attention.
All the film making components are competent as you might expect, somewhere right below blockbuster but everyone was in the union. Again, not horror, but just fine for what it is.
I wish these things didn't require 600 characters. Seems too long...
Lacking The Emotion Of The Original Story, But At Least An Okay Adaptation
zkonedog5 November 2022
I consider "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" to be perhaps the most masterful short story ever penned by Stephen King. While this adaptation of King's work is far from the best (Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile), it is certainly light years ahead of the worst (2022 Firestarter, Cell).
For a very basic overview, this film tells the story of Craig (Jaeden Martell), a young man who strikes up an unlikely friendship with the aged Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland). As Craig reads to Mr. Harrigan because of the older man's declining eyesight, he learns some life lessons and some mentorship occurs. Along the way, Craig introduces him to the iPhone, of which Mr. Harrigan is fascinated with (and remarkably prescient about). When Mr. Harrigan eventually passes, the phone is buried with him. While seemingly a sentimental gesture on Craig's part, it becomes anything but when the adolescent starts receiving messages from the below-ground party.
Though I will admit that any adaptation of this material was likely to disappoint my sky-high expectations based on the written-word version, I do at least somewhat objectively think that there is a great deal of missing emotion from director/writer John Lee Hancock. The Craig/Harrigan relationship is fine, but everything else--from Craig's school experiences, relationship to a special teacher, father/son dynamic, and the deceased mother--seems rather flat. Likely because of this, the film often seems drawn-out or overly long even at a relatively modest 100-minute runtime.
That being said, there is enough here to enjoy for it to be a worthwhile experience overall. Sutherland is great and the very basics of King's tale are all covered. Again, the problems with "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" have nothing to do with the coverage of story points and everything to do with how emotional that coverage turns out to be.
Like I said, the story this is based on is so good as to be close to impossible to capture all the nuances of. "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" gets the nitty-gritty, plot-by-plot details right, but struggles to manufacture the raw emotion from the source.
For a very basic overview, this film tells the story of Craig (Jaeden Martell), a young man who strikes up an unlikely friendship with the aged Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland). As Craig reads to Mr. Harrigan because of the older man's declining eyesight, he learns some life lessons and some mentorship occurs. Along the way, Craig introduces him to the iPhone, of which Mr. Harrigan is fascinated with (and remarkably prescient about). When Mr. Harrigan eventually passes, the phone is buried with him. While seemingly a sentimental gesture on Craig's part, it becomes anything but when the adolescent starts receiving messages from the below-ground party.
Though I will admit that any adaptation of this material was likely to disappoint my sky-high expectations based on the written-word version, I do at least somewhat objectively think that there is a great deal of missing emotion from director/writer John Lee Hancock. The Craig/Harrigan relationship is fine, but everything else--from Craig's school experiences, relationship to a special teacher, father/son dynamic, and the deceased mother--seems rather flat. Likely because of this, the film often seems drawn-out or overly long even at a relatively modest 100-minute runtime.
That being said, there is enough here to enjoy for it to be a worthwhile experience overall. Sutherland is great and the very basics of King's tale are all covered. Again, the problems with "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" have nothing to do with the coverage of story points and everything to do with how emotional that coverage turns out to be.
Like I said, the story this is based on is so good as to be close to impossible to capture all the nuances of. "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" gets the nitty-gritty, plot-by-plot details right, but struggles to manufacture the raw emotion from the source.
Good film unless you want to be scared
Imshortok068 October 2022
I watched the trailer expecting a horror film, but instead got a character study instead. That being said, it was good for what it was. Just don't expect to feel spooked or scared. A bit slow at times, the film seemed more interested in exploring the narrator's frame of mind and experiences rather than the supernatural element (which doesn't happen until well into the movie). Still, amazing acting and cinematography with an interesting message. I think the main actor did an amazing job and showed an impressive range of emotions. The set was beautiful and haunting. I wish they had fleshed out some of the minor characters more, and had more flashbacks with the mom to provide more depth for his grief.
So much nice setup with no payoff
bgaiv8 October 2022
I had no idea what this was about when I started it, not even which genre, so had no expectations at all. So I was somewhat startled when the iPhone became front and central.
This occurs WELL into the movie and feels like a record scratching moment because by now we've spent quite a lot of time with the old man and the boy. This relationship is rather interesting with the great chemistry between the leads and you certainly expect some payoff to this, yet the old man is very soon cashiered out of the movie.
This is compounded by the boy and his father having unresolved issues around the death of their mother/wife and this also gets significant screen time.
This is incredibly frustrating because this setup absolutely demands exploration and resolution, yet it's all pretty much up dropped.
Likewise, his relationship with his teacher is built out quite a lot yet ultimately seems wasted.
And it's not like it's actually a horror, so there's no payoff in that department either despite quite a lot of build up for that.
Ultimately it feels like the movie is missing its entire final act. It builds and builds then ends.
This occurs WELL into the movie and feels like a record scratching moment because by now we've spent quite a lot of time with the old man and the boy. This relationship is rather interesting with the great chemistry between the leads and you certainly expect some payoff to this, yet the old man is very soon cashiered out of the movie.
This is compounded by the boy and his father having unresolved issues around the death of their mother/wife and this also gets significant screen time.
This is incredibly frustrating because this setup absolutely demands exploration and resolution, yet it's all pretty much up dropped.
Likewise, his relationship with his teacher is built out quite a lot yet ultimately seems wasted.
And it's not like it's actually a horror, so there's no payoff in that department either despite quite a lot of build up for that.
Ultimately it feels like the movie is missing its entire final act. It builds and builds then ends.
The wonderful and not so wonderful world of electronics.
jmholt-412018 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I love Stephen King's stories. This one was no different. It is cleverly designed for viewers so that we watch and see the beginnings of the not so wonderful workings within the world of electronics. The good and the bad.
Particularly the separation caused by cellphones and their users.
The social commentary surrounding those who have cellphones and those who do not have cellphones was really interesting. The haves and the have nots.
I love Donald Sutherland in pretty much anything and everything he has been a part of.
Jaeden Martell did an outstanding job in his role as Craig.
He pretty much carried the range of emotions and character development throughout the entire movie.
I will say it is drawn out and there is no character growth outside of Craig.
I consider it to be a little better than average and that is why I gave it 6 stars.
It's worth a watch. #ThoughtProvoking.
Particularly the separation caused by cellphones and their users.
The social commentary surrounding those who have cellphones and those who do not have cellphones was really interesting. The haves and the have nots.
I love Donald Sutherland in pretty much anything and everything he has been a part of.
Jaeden Martell did an outstanding job in his role as Craig.
He pretty much carried the range of emotions and character development throughout the entire movie.
I will say it is drawn out and there is no character growth outside of Craig.
I consider it to be a little better than average and that is why I gave it 6 stars.
It's worth a watch. #ThoughtProvoking.
Lacks a clear raison d'être
h22237 October 2022
It's watchable... but you wonder why you're watching it. I suppose it's because Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell do a great job of acting. The problem is, they're acting out a confused script. What does this movie want to be? What's it *actually* about? Calling it a "horror" film is laughable. There's nothing even particularly chilling about it, much less "horrifying." There isn't even much drama or intrigue.
I noticed throughout that it felt like the filmmakers were trying to combine the likes of Shawshank, Green Mile, It, and perhaps My Dog Skip into some kind of mashup that at times felt like a Disney movie about a boy who's lost his mother and is trying to navigate his late teens and early adulthood, and at other times felt like it was trying to make some kind of political or social statement.
The film did not do any of these things artfully, skillfully, or thoroughly -- leaving me with the feeling that I should comment on the "meh"-ness of the movie, but certainly not leaving me with a single unifying theme or moral to take away. No real insight. Nothing about human nature or life to really process. Just, I guess, "Remember when the iPhone was new?" Yeah, I do, and this film didn't even manage to make me feel nostalgic about that.
Why did this movie get made? Beats me. Maybe the Stephen King story was better and actually gave you some meat to walk away with, but the film fails in that regard. I give it a solid 4 for acting and cinematography, nothing more.
I noticed throughout that it felt like the filmmakers were trying to combine the likes of Shawshank, Green Mile, It, and perhaps My Dog Skip into some kind of mashup that at times felt like a Disney movie about a boy who's lost his mother and is trying to navigate his late teens and early adulthood, and at other times felt like it was trying to make some kind of political or social statement.
The film did not do any of these things artfully, skillfully, or thoroughly -- leaving me with the feeling that I should comment on the "meh"-ness of the movie, but certainly not leaving me with a single unifying theme or moral to take away. No real insight. Nothing about human nature or life to really process. Just, I guess, "Remember when the iPhone was new?" Yeah, I do, and this film didn't even manage to make me feel nostalgic about that.
Why did this movie get made? Beats me. Maybe the Stephen King story was better and actually gave you some meat to walk away with, but the film fails in that regard. I give it a solid 4 for acting and cinematography, nothing more.
Ignore impatience. Watch intelligently.
imdb-1485012 October 2022
We live in an 'instant age.' We're used to getting what we want immediately. So, anyone giving this film a bad review probably didn't understand the need to focus and apply patience to a story that unfolds gradually. It is impeccably written. All the story setups and essential bases are cleverly covered. It is brilliantly made with authentic characters supported with superb acting. It moves at comfortable pace with no dull moment or drawn-out, unnecessary scene. An all-round excellent film. Give it a chance and be receptive to rare, excellent storytelling. It could be one of the the best films you've seen in a long time.
Intriguing and very well acted, but still a bit disappointing
johannes2000-18 October 2022
It was advertised as a horror, but that's definitely not the case, I would call it something like a coming-of-age story with a supernatural twist. Everything evolves in a slow, very sensitive way, and the supernatural stuff takes place off-screen, we only see the result. That's also the point where the movie ends, a bit in mid-air, leaving you with the feeling that you have witnessed the intriguing beginning of a potentially exciting story that you will never get to see.
Apart from this, the acting of both Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell is top-notch, the photography is fine, and it has a definite suspenseful, increasingly creepy atmosphere; so it still kept me interested and entertained until the (somewhat disappointing) end.
Apart from this, the acting of both Donald Sutherland and Jaeden Martell is top-notch, the photography is fine, and it has a definite suspenseful, increasingly creepy atmosphere; so it still kept me interested and entertained until the (somewhat disappointing) end.
A missed opportunity.
Top_Dawg_Critic27 April 2023
This film had all the qualities to be great; excellent cinematography, a great score, and spot-on performances by all. And the first act set up a great introduction to the characters and narrative. But in the second act, the slow pacing caught up with the lack of any real suspense or tension as the story progressed, and I started to lose interest. By the third act, it all went downhill fast as the film became more of a bland coming of age story, instead of progressing and building on the suspense the narrative was leading up to. It's like the third act was lazily written by a fifth grade drama class. You'd think something grand would happen as the film progresses within its poorly paced 104 min runtime, but it just runs out of steam, gets boring, and by the end you've wasted the entire runtime with the most boring third act you could imagine.
Like riding a rollercoaster but it never drops to give that thrill
hazard1115 October 2022
It's based on Stephen King's short story, which I never read so I am unsure if it's faithful.. but the film itself actually feels like a short story. By the end of the film I was like "huh, that's it?". It's like reading those 2 sentence horror stories but this was with a lot of words that dragged it out because you needed to meet a minimum character limit so it's all fluff with little action.
I am a bit disappointed by the lack of thrill ngl but I did like the bond of Craig and Mr Harrigan. I applaud Jaeden and Donald's acting. I felt their character's connection to be genuine. Which I think is one of the reasons why this story fails at horror as horror because it focused so much on the build up of the characters it didn't get to deliver what's supposed to be horror about it.
This is the type of film that definitely has a specific audience in mind else you're going to find this to be dull and boring. If you watch this thinking of a thrilling horror then you'd be disappointed. Go into it more like a short slice of life coming of age drama with some horror elements.
I am a bit disappointed by the lack of thrill ngl but I did like the bond of Craig and Mr Harrigan. I applaud Jaeden and Donald's acting. I felt their character's connection to be genuine. Which I think is one of the reasons why this story fails at horror as horror because it focused so much on the build up of the characters it didn't get to deliver what's supposed to be horror about it.
This is the type of film that definitely has a specific audience in mind else you're going to find this to be dull and boring. If you watch this thinking of a thrilling horror then you'd be disappointed. Go into it more like a short slice of life coming of age drama with some horror elements.
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